Citizen Harris II
by Koos
Summary: Sequel to Citizen Harris
1. Chapter 1

**Citizen Harris II**

**Sequel to Citizen Harris**

Disclaimer. BtVS belongs sadly enough not to me. Neither does  
StarGate.

A/N: thanks for the feedback for Citizen Harris. Lyapunov, I don't know any more fics likethis. Therefore I decided for this sequel ;)

**Part 1 Destiny**  
**Minnesota, Jack's cabin**

Jack O'Neill was a sarcastic man by nature. But ever since he almost  
died last year, to save the world once more, the sarcasm was dripping  
from him. It's what the constant fighting against overwhelming alien  
evil and even humans, and hey don't forget the Russians, did to a  
man. He studied his beer as he just grabbed two of them out of the  
fridge. That's why he needed to relax as much as possible. To clear  
his mind and to realize what his life would have been if the Stargate  
never had been found. It wasn't much he knew for certain. He'd have  
been drowning in sorrow of what could have been forever. Now he had a  
good family and a purpose. And the constant fighting was a very small  
price to pay for having that. And that was where all irony  
originated from.

To deal with all this could only be done by fishing. That was what  
the imaginary doc had recommended him and luckily that was his  
favorite hobby, so it would work out fine. You know, like it always  
will.

With a little force he freed both bottles from its seal and walked  
outside, where the young man tried his best to perform the art of  
sweeping his fishing line into the water with some basic decency.  
Alexander Lavelle Harris he recalled the man's name. He seemed  
somewhat like the ghost lieutenant they once had. Sam had performed a  
background check on him and it all matched with his memories. Almost  
twenty four and already scarred for life by the horrors he had seen  
and faced. Xander was now the big brother to a group of girls with  
superpowers and he knew they needed him as much as he needed them.  
But he knew that, just like him, the young man also sometimes needed  
to get away from his obligations. That the young man also needed to  
relax. He wondered if that was why the man had arrived at his home  
this morning. Or was it something else?

They had received a message from the guys from Atlantis, the  
legendary city from the Ancients, and they needed all the help they  
could get. He hated it, but he had no other choice than to ask as he  
sat down to Xander on the pier. Better ask it right away. "You know  
we could use a guy like you."

"Yeah, I know."

He could sense the denial in the kid's voice. Too many years of  
battle had done that to him. He couldn't blame him. "Most would  
consider it an honor."

"Like Daniel," Xander replied with a grin.

Jack couldn't help himself than to laugh. Daniel had been like a  
puppy dancing for sausages to get to Atlantis ever since he had  
discovered its location. Probably it had to something to do with  
geeks and a box chockfull of candy sweet secrets. He stared at the  
little circles rippling in the water, waiting for his victim to bite.  
He was waiting for Xander to bite his trap. That's how it felt to  
him. "It's not only the gene, you know, that makes you special."

He saw him making the lies in his eye. 'Sorry Jack, I have no formal  
training or special skills.' would be his excuse. 'You have the hard  
earned experience what only very few have' was what he would reply.  
And in a war like this, experience made all the difference. The young  
man sighed and looked away, waiting for his own prey to bite. "Look,  
you don't have to decide now. But, I want an answer tomorrow."

This earned him a serious and slightly confused glance. "I have my  
duties," the young man replied as if it was common knowledge.

He knew Xander was simply tired to the bone. He knew it was a  
lie. "Son, I know that you deserve to get away from all of this. To  
lead a normal life. And there's nothing more than I want you to do  
that. But we both know that you can't turn away from this war."

He saw the surprise in the man's eye. "The girls need me. I would  
never abandon them for a normal life."

That was all he needed to hear. "I know. Can't blame me for not  
trying though," he said with a smile. His words earned him an eye-  
roll. "Hey, I have no choice. Atlantis needs you. You fit the match  
and you're the only one who could communicate with me from another  
galaxy. You have no choice, it's your destiny."

He knew it would make the man angry. The man protected 'girls with  
a destiny' with his life twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.  
That was the man's destiny. That was the man's special  
gift. "Destiny my ass," was the answer he got. The words were cold,  
but he saw the doubt shimmering in the man's eye.

He just hated himself. He was ripping a man away from his family.  
Being a general over the SGC was a big pain in this ass. Protecting  
the world from alien invasions was his duty, not protecting the world  
from demons and other supernatural crap. "That's not my problem, son.  
I know you came to me because I know you think exactly the same. You  
can't just turn your back from it."

"You know Buffy is going to kill you for this?" the young man asked,  
his tone serious.

"After Willow flayed me alive?"

The young man chuckled. It was a nice sight. Despite all the man had  
faced, the kid inside him had never left. "That's probably after Dawn  
has kicked both of us in the balls."

"I think you should invite them over. I'll explain the situation to  
them."

He could see the gratitude in the man's eye - despite the mad of  
frustration that had filled the man. "You're gonna show them the  
Stargate?"

"Do you think Buffy likes 3D shooting up games?"

"You mean that cool thing that almost killed Teal'c?"

"Yup."

"Sure."

"Well, then there's a chance I'll survive."


	2. Chapter 2

Citizen Harris II  
Sequel to Citizen Harris  
Disclaimer. BtVS belongs sadly enough not to me. Neither does StarGate.  
Beta: Keith

**Part 2 Convincing preparations **

Two weeks later

At sixteen, Monica was the lead Slayer of Xander's team. She was chatting with the youngest of Xander's team, Jenny, when she heard a quick rap on the door. Too anxious to wait for a response the door swung open, slamming into Jenny's face. "Ouch," Jenny said as she rubbed the sore patch on her nose. At fifteen Lizette was the smartest of the team. Everybody had been assigned to another to watch their backs; Monica watched Lizette, Lizette watched Jenny's and Jenny watched Monica's. Xander watched them all.

"Sorry, Jen," Lizette responded, without much guilt.

"What's up, Liz?" Monica spoke calmly.

Lizette placed her finger on her lips. "Sst." Lizette carefully closed the door.

"What's the rush?" Monica asked again, more like an order this time as she had placed her hand on her hip and stared at her.

"It's Xander."

"What's with him?" Jenny asked, immediately worried. Monica smiled a little. Jenny was twelve with a huge crush on Xander. However she couldn't suppress her own worry for their missing leader. She and the others hadn't missed how much Xander had been keeping his feelings to himself and how much of his humor had faded away the last two weeks. She had him even seen drunk and he'd brushed her objections away like it didn't matter. But she knew better. Something was wrong.

"I dunno for sure. I just heard that he might gonna leave us."

"Who told you this?" Monica asked.

"Dawn."

Monica winced. Dawn was the one of the inner circle who kept a close eye on Xander and his team. Not to mention she kept them informed about him. If someone knew that something was wrong with him then it was her. "How? Why?"

"There's some military chief that has invited them over for tonight. I tried to hack into their database, but couldn't get it done. Willow said that if there was something up she would find it out tonight," Lizette explained. "I think she was pissed."

Lizette was one of Willow's students in studying watcher-research stuff. Monica knew Liz was good at it and that her friend wanted to become a Watcher herself. Something most Watchers consider as something unheard of. Load of holier than though bull Monica thought of that. Why can't a Slayer be a Watcher? Anyway, if Willow was pissed than the rumors must be true, because Xander was Willow's best friend.

"Xander can't be leaving us," Jenny exclaimed. "Andrew gave me this shirt for him," she said as she jerked at her shirt to emphasize her claim. In doing so she stretched the picture of a weird looking alien, making it look funnier than it was suppose to be. The blackness of her shirt was an interesting contrast to the bright yellowness of her skirt. Jenny looked nervously at her, unaware of her eye roll, as the girl spoke the words, "H-He needs us."

"He knows that," Lizette said. But her words lacked conviction and her eyes were filled with doubt. Monica sat down on her bed and sighed deeply. "We need him," Lizette spoke softly.

Monica nodded slowly as she saw a tear rolling over Jenny's cheek. "I really don't want someone else as our Watcher," the little girl said. Monica felt the same. Because the Council needed to be rebuilt quickly, Mr. Giles couldn't be too strict when attracting new Watchers. Some were cowards. Some were assholes who thought about Slayers as nothing more than tools. And some were way too British. Xander was constantly annoyed with them or them with him. "He's so funny," Jenny continued. Monica had been with several other Watchers before she was assigned to Xander's team and she hadn't liked any of them until him. She supposedly had a big mouth. Bah! They simply couldn't handle her natural leadership skills. Lizette was too smart for them and Jenny, well, she was Jenny. Okay, she knew, there were a lot of Watchers who weren't bad. Some were even cool, but they weren't Xander. He had no right to leave them just like that for some obscure secret military mission. He was theirs.

"Why would he leave us?" Jenny murmured through her tears.

"Jenny." Monica stared at the girl intently, which impressed Jenny as she gazed back at her, the big blue eyes gaping at her as if her young life depended on it. If Xander didn't need her or Lizette, she was certain he still needed his firm love for Jenny. "Even if we have to kick all their green Barrett asses, Xander won't leave us. We are gonna follow them tonight and drag Xander back into our fold." As their leader, Monica would make sure of that. She would make sure that they would bring back one of their own the way Xander had taught them. "Let's get the others."

* * *

Jack grinned with his hands in his pocket like a little boy as he watched how a construction crew worked at the finishing details of the interior at one of the base's largest rooms.

"You don't think this is a little exaggerated?" Daniel asked.

Jack didn't react. He was in the moment. The moment he deserved. It was what he and the SG deserved.

"Sir?" Carter asked.

"You think this will improve our relationship with our allies?" Teal'c asked.

Jack smirked a little. "Yup."

"Sir?" Sam asked again.

"Hey, it's my base. I can do whatever I want."

"Within reason, sir."

"Oh, c'mon, Sam. We need a little fun around here."

"This has to do with the man with the eye-patch, doesn't it?" Daniel asked.

Jack sighed. It was true that the young man was the trigger, but as he had thought about it, it wasn't a bad idea. "Sort of. I invited his friends and they need a tiny little bit of persuasion," he explained.

"But three bowling ball lanes? You don't think that's the least bit too much?"

"I am certain that Bra'Tac will find it a most challenging sport," Teal'c said.

Jack wasn't sure if the Jaffa was sarcastic, but he would be sure that Teal'c would see the greatness of the sport soon enough. "See? Thanks, buddy."

"You're welcome, O'Neill."

"Sir," Carter looked doubtful, "if what you say about Xander's friends is true, they won't let him go so easily. I don't think a bowling evening is enough."

He knew she wasn't wrong. But, hey, at least they would have had a fun evening. And he didn't buy those bowling shoes in vain. "Well, it's a start."

"About Xander's friends. I-"

"Daniel, it's true."

"I never found something in the ancient texts that-"

"It's true." Jack stared at his friend's face and he knew that there was more on Daniel' mind. Something he normally would have just said, but didn't because Daniel knew that Jack had no choice. He couldn't stand it anymore. "Oh, c'mon, Daniel, just say it. We can't force Xander into our world."

"It's not that." Jack saw the denial in Daniel's eyes and waited for him to continue. "Well, it is. We don't know anything about these Slayers and their heritage. We don't know anything about the dynamics and structure of this group. We don't have the right to pull one of them away for our needs."

"And what makes him so special for them?" Jack asked.

"Well, he's a normal guy for example, but he hasn't a problem with their power in any kind of way. That's important for a teenage girl," Sam elaborated.

"He carries the sign of a warrior, gained in battle while protecting them," Teal'c added. Jack knew that The Jaffa was referring to Xander's eye-patch. "He carries that sign with honor."

"Which reminds them that a normal person can be trusted to watch their backs," Daniel explained.

"Indeed."

"Not to mention the social implications," Daniel continued.

"They were a team. No one can even begin to understand what they went through together, what they mean to each other. We of anyone knows how that feels. If he was one of ours, I wouldn't care how important he was somewhere else. I'd rather have him with us."

That's it. Sometimes Sam, he groaned, I hate to love you. "Xander agreed with me," Jack defended himself. It was not entirely the truth, Xander wasn't sure either, but it wasn't a lie either.

"It's a whole new situation for them. For thousands of years only one Slayer has managed to save the world on a regular basis, without recorded history knowing about it. Everything changed last year and Xander doesn't know his own role in the total picture," Daniel explained.

It wasn't a lie. "He understands it more then we do." Daniel rolled his eyes. Jack sighed. "We don't know if they need him more than we do. All I know is that we need him. That is all I need to know. So, be nice tonight and work a little with me. That's an order."

It was the soldier who spoke and Daniel grimaced, but nodded. That was all Jack needed to know. He and Daniel have had their differences before, but when it came down to it, Daniel would always follow his orders, even if the civilian had to bend a few rules. That was why he needed Daniel.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3 Cultural exchange**

Jack found himself pinned against the wall as he looked down in the  
eyes of one very pissed off short young woman with a blond ponytail.  
No matter how much he tried he couldn't move an inch. Maybe this  
hadn't been such a good idea.

"Buffy."

It was the calm and understanding voice of the other short woman,  
with the red hair. Willow, she was the witch he remembered. And maybe  
now she was his liberator. "Not now, Will, I am busy."

"Don't kill him." Buffy gave her a questioning look. Her eyes  
shimmered black for a moment. "Xander's my best friend. It's my  
right to kill him."

Jack now seriously swallowed. She was the most powerful witch in the  
world who would not hesitate to use or abuse it for those who she  
loves. And Jack knew damn well how much she loved Xander. He saw  
Buffy gazing at him, doubting and pouting, before she returned to  
Willow again. "Can I play with him?" she asked begging.

Jack looked at Teal'c, who was standing as a statue behind the two  
women. With nothing more than a groan he tried to communicate with  
the Jaffa warrior. Teal'c responded with a single raise of his left  
eye-brow. Was this the Jaffa way to teach him a lesson? He realized  
he was at their mercy. Which of course they hadn't. He noticed that  
chilling playful smirk on Willow's face as she granted Buffy her  
wish. He wasn't entirely sure, but she seemed to chant something. Or  
was it his own fear?

Now it was a good time to close your eyes and think of something  
pleasant. Now it was time to think of the man you can always count on  
when needed.

"Buffy," a male voice said. He blinked twice. The voice wasn't  
Homer's. But it was close. It was coming from the young man in  
question.

"No!" she yelled. "You are not going! You're not leaving us for some  
secret military mission."

"I have no choice."

"I don't care." Jack felt her grip loosening as she turned her head  
to the kid. "I need to know you're safe. That means you have to be  
with us and not in some flying horse galaxy fighting blue, life  
sucking foes all alone."

"Blue or white sucking foes, what's the difference?" Xander muttered.  
Jack noticed how tired he was of this.

"Huh?"

"It's the Pegasus galaxy, Buffy. And I'm not alone. Could you please  
let him go?"

"No."

"If you're not letting him go, I won't let you-" Jack saw him  
thinking. "I, uhm, I-"

"You're not letting me what?" she asked while her eyes remained  
deadly on his, despite Jack's hope.

"I gave Dawn driving lessons."

Within a blink of an eye Buffy was on Xander and Jack enjoyed the  
freedom. "You did not."

"I did."

"Oh no. It's way too dangerous for her."

"Well, I had no choice. Better for her driving than me when she puts  
a tazer on me."

Tazer? Jack wondered. Dawn tazered him? He couldn't remember that  
from his visions. Oh well, apparently his words worked as Buffy  
calmed down. "Thanks for your non-help," he said to Teal'c as he  
rubbed his neck. "They almost killed me."

"They are mighty warriors, though I hardly doubt their true intent  
was to kill you, O'Neill."

Buffy and Willow turned to Teal'c, their hands on their hips. "Then  
you don't know us," Willow said, as she pointed at herself. "I flayed  
a guy alive who had accidentally murdered my lover."

Jack saw that rare and dangerous look in the Jaffa's eyes as he  
looked at them with the pride of a true warrior. "Her anger almost  
destroyed the world," Buffy confirmed.

Oh, sweet god. Teal'c's pride increased. "That is a small price to  
pay for the opportunity to see the fear and pain in the eyes of your  
victim as he dies." He saw Buffy jerking her head towards him, her  
eyes wide. Jack just shrugged.

Willow smiled as she looked at Buffy. "See?"

"Riiight," Xander quickly intervened as he wrapped his arms around  
the two women. "Let us wait to get on the memory lane leading to a  
black and veiny past." He turned them around, "After I have  
convinced you that my life is not in danger in the future." Jack saw  
the three walk away and he felt the pain of guilt in his guts when  
the two women wrapped their own arms around him and leaned their  
heads on his shoulder. He felt Daniel gazing at him from a distance.  
Not only was he ripping Xander away from his best friends, he was  
also ripping him away from the two most dangerous women in the world -  
galaxy. He turned to Teal'c whose eyes were still shimmering with  
pride as the Jaffa also watched them go. Dangerous but okay, he  
thought to ease his mind. Buffy and Willow could deal with it.

* * *

"It's not fair. I threw that ball with twenty-five miles an hour  
straight into the middle and still one pin was left standing,"  
Buffy pouted as she threw her arms in the air. "Why can't I throw  
harder?"

"The others believe that it would be unfair," Teal'c  
explained. "You're not the only one who has to endure discomfort by  
it."

She saw how the Jaffa settled himself in a ritual kind of way and the  
man closed his eyes as he obviously concentrated. "What are you  
doing?"

"I'll enter a superficial state of Kelnorim. It will prepare me  
better for my next shot."

"Is that some form of meditation?"

"Indeed."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "And what about these shoes. They are gaudy.  
Who on earth makes shoes like these?" she asked annoyed. "No!" she  
cried as Faith cheered out loud after having made another strike.

* * *

Faith flopped in the seat next to the general. He looked into her  
energized face. "I like this game," she exclaimed.

Jack smiled. "Might beat fishing," he agreed.

The poor general swallowed a little as he saw her licking her lips  
and rubbing his chest a little. "But not sex, huh?"

A General couldn't budge by such rather straight forward innuendos  
and he stood his ground as well as he could. No matter how hot the  
messenger was. "Definitely not."

Her hand caressed his chest further and he didn't know what to say as  
her eyes ravished his body, following every curvature of his official  
uniform, until they stopped with his own pair. "X described his first  
time in detail?" she asked, her eyes twinkling. He swallowed. Oh,  
yes, the kid did.

* * *

"So, this wormhole curved the gravitation-field of a black hole  
around itself like a magnification glass?" Willow asked. Ever since  
she had heard about the ability of creating wormholes, two weeks ago,  
she had been interested in the subject. Like everything science  
involving the Stargate had grabbed her attention.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

"It's unbelievable." She rolled her eyes. "I-I mean, Einstein  
predicted the possibility of gravitation lenses already in 1912 of  
course, but to actually observe it in this way? With a black hole? I  
mean, wow." Sam shared in her excitement as she beamed. "And the time-  
dilation was what kept the wormhole open for so long?"

"Actually, once the link was established it was the energy from the  
gravitation field that fed it, like a feedback loop."

"I would love to get my hands on the data. Would be great thesis for  
my theoretical astronomy class."

"I'll be happy to show it to you." Willow squealed. Sam  
laughed. "But, remember, it's all theoretical. You can't publish the  
data."

Willow continued to beam. "Yes, of course." She leaned a little  
closer as she looked at Sam. Her smile became little more  
seductive. "I'm looking forward working with the expert on wormhole  
theory. I read your book. It's amazing you could find the time to  
write it with your other obligations," she complimented Sam.

* * *

Rya'c, son of Teal'c, and his wife Kar'yn had just arrived from  
his 'honeymoon', shim'owa, as Jack had invited them for this  
important 'cultural exchange'. Bra'Tac had told Rya'c that the man  
with the eye-patch was an honorable warrior. As a fellow young male  
warrior he was interested to meet O'Neill's apprentice.

"And this is earth's finest delicacy. It's a delicious, spongy,  
golden cake filled with the sweetest creamy white substance you can  
imagine. It's called a Twinkie and you eat it like this."

Xander stuffed the whole thing into his mouth and he closed his eyes  
in delight as his cheeks were stretched to its limits as he enjoyed  
its content. "Mmm."

Then he offered them both one. "You try." Both Ry'ac and Bra'Tac  
exchanged a look.

* * *

Giles polished his glasses at all the antics and looked slightly  
embarrassed at Daniel. Together with Dawn they had been talking about  
the various implications of Goa'ulds and demons on the languages of  
the Ancient Egypt. Daniel had also shown remarkable interest in the  
Slayer and her history. In particular he was interested in the  
Scythe, the mystical weapon used for the empowering spell. "I believe  
it's my turn."

Daniel and Dawn nodded. Giles sighed deeply before he aimed his shot  
and rolled his first strike. He silently and proudly glanced at the  
score as he enjoyed Buffy's cry, turned around and saw Daniel gone.  
He frowned and looked at Dawn who'd arrived for her own shot. "Oh, he  
needed to go to the restroom," she explained curtly.

"Oh, right. Of course."

He saw Dawn taking aim and making her own strike. She squeaked and  
did the rather slow Dawn dance prompting Xander to squirm. Again  
Giles felt the need to polish his glasses.

"Mr Giles," a rather big middle aged man called his name with a  
charming smile as he offered him his hand. By the uniform and the  
charismatic attitude Giles could deduce who the man was. "General  
Hammond, I presume?"

The man nodded. "Can I have a word with you?"

* * *

The bowling fun continued and Buffy sat in her chair pouting when she  
suddenly noticed how happy everybody else was. Bowling had been a  
great idea she had to admit. Daniel, Dawn and Giles were chatting  
about obscure languages. Xander and Faith and the big Jaffa guys had  
quickly become friends like fellow warriors. Willow and Sam were  
talking about the mysteries of the universe. It took her in the  
moment, until she suddenly felt a hand squeezing her shoulder.  
Without looking she knew it was Jack, who just like her, enjoyed the  
same moment. She knew that he, just like she did, was grateful for  
every second he could be with his family without needing to worry.  
And for that reason she also knew that she could trust Xander in his  
care.

After a while Jack spoke. "Leading them is a really big pain in the  
ass, isn't it?"

Oh, yeah. "But also one of the most thankful ones."

Jack laughed. She looked at him, not understanding why the  
humor. "You have learned that the hard way, huh?" he clarified.

She smiled and turned back to look at them without answering his  
question. "So, how many times have you been brought back from the  
dead?" she finally asked.

That was the moment that the base's alarm system began its ritual  
with the sirens and the red lights as the room enveloped into  
darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4 And now the conclusion**

Jack started giving orders, but within a few seconds the lights  
returned and the room was filled with about thirty girls, all clothed  
in black and all of them were pointing weapons at them. "Stand down,"  
he ordered, as he very much realized who those girls were. They  
weren't older than 18, and some of them were even as old as twelve-  
thirteen. They were kids! However, kids who were proud mystical  
warriors with guns and who were very angry. He had no choice than  
to surrender. This whole situation screamed one single name: Daniel.

"Monica!" Buffy yelled. "What's the meaning of this?"

Despite Buffy's legendary status, the young girl with the brown eyes  
to whom Buffy spoke didn't appear to be impressed. "We're retrieving  
one of our own . . . Xander, sir," she said with a calm, decisive  
voice.

Buffy seemed surprised by the clarification as she looked at him. He  
saw her doubt in her eyes. It had been a hell of an effort to  
convince Buffy, so the blond leader could hardly be angry with her  
soldiers. "They teach this in Slayer kindergarten?" he muttered to  
her. She rolled her eyes. "How did you kids manage to infiltrate this  
base?" he asked Monica, calmly.

"We had help," the young leader simply said, not caring about any  
secrets. The girl had made up her mind and wouldn't take a no for an  
answer.

"From me," Daniel added, while he corrected the position of his  
glasses, like it was the biggest revelation since the discovering of  
the Stargate.

"Danny," Jack said sarcastically, "believe me, we know. Thanks for  
the concern, but you're not going to change my mind," he said,  
despite the many guns inviting him otherwise. Jack stood his  
ground. "I am sorry," he offered them. His words was like oil on  
fire, and the situation threatened to escalate.

"They have a bowling lane," a young girl with a black shirt sporting  
Thor's cutest image over her Kevlar uniform suddenly exclaimed  
enthusiastically. Jack recognized her through his psychic link with  
Xander. Her name was Jenny O'Brien and she was very close to Xander's  
heart. Jack remembered that Xander and Jenny had been trapped  
together for days when they had met for the first time. They were  
held captive as food for the Gr'owl demons. Nasty little fellows,  
Jack remembered. "Monica, can we play?"

Not sharing her youngest warrior in her excitement, the leader  
scowled at her. "No!"

"Why not?" The words were soft and sad. Her innocence cut through  
Jack's soul. They were kids. They were warriors, but he forgot that  
they were kids too. They needed someone to care for them. They needed  
someone to care for. They needed Xander.

"Because we are here to retrieve Xander," Monica explained, tiredly.

"Oh! I forgot." The girl frowned and then expertly pointed her rifle  
at Jack, her enthusiasm gone as she stared at him supported by her  
meanest face. "Give us Xander," she warned him.

Daniel just shrugged knowingly. Jack felt deeply ashamed. How could  
he have sunk this low? How could he not have seen? He damn well knew  
the answer and with interest he respected Hammond more than ever. He  
walked slowly over to the little girl, his right hand up, and  
crouched down in front of her - all the time he could see the  
confusion in her eyes, not knowing how she should react. He smiled as  
he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not keeping him."

Her eyes scanned every feature of his face in hope and he nodded to  
confirm his statement. Then she engulfed him in a tight hug and  
parted. "Yay!"

Cheers filled the room in response.

"You're right," said a familiar voice and he turned to see General  
Hammond standing at his side. "You're not keeping him."

His boss crouched down to look at the girl as well. The man's smile  
was the biggest Jack had ever seen. "Would you like to travel in a  
spaceship to another galaxy?"

Her eyes widened and her face lid up like a Christmas tree. "Really?"  
The general nodded.

What's going on? "General?"

Hammond looked at him. "I have talked with Mr. Giles and Mr. Harris  
to have Xander's team on the rescheduled Atlantis rescue mission.  
They both agreed."

Jack knew that Earth's new battle cruiser, the Daedalus, was almost  
finished and ready to go. "Good plan, sir." It was an excellent  
plan. Why hadn't he thought about it? In this way Xander was at least  
with his own team. Not to mention the advantages of Slayer strength  
and skills Xander's team brought in. There were risks of course. Jack  
shuddered at the thought of a Goa'uld using a Slayer as host. But,  
this was a mission to Goa'uld free territory.

"What mission?" Monica asked. "What's this spaceship bull?"

"What if I told you that aliens are real?" Hammond replied.

Monica snorted. "Then I would say you're nuts."

Jack chuckled. Luckily the General was used to one Jack O'Neill for  
quite a while. "Is that so?" Hammond asked with a smirk as he twisted  
his head a little. Jack knew the General well enough that something  
was up and it prompted Jack to look around.

A flash of light illuminated the room for an instant and brought a  
single individual in the room. The creature was about one meter in  
height, with grayish skin tones, small, skinny limbs, large weirdly  
formed head and oil black eyes. Its arrival made Jack to check his  
watch, intentionally ignoring the silent attention his new quest  
received. "Thor, buddy. You're late."

"My presence was required at the High Council, O'Neill."

"General, if I may?" Jack asked before Hammond could speak. Jack knew  
that the Texan enjoyed their shock as much as he did.

Of course."

Hammond, always the gentleman. "Girls, I would like you to meet Thor,  
Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet."

"Thor, would you like to bow for the ladies?"

Thor just looked at them. "Greetings."

The response was quite what Jack expected. "Who the hell do you think  
you are?"

Monica's eyes were blazing with fire as she spoke the words. "Excuse  
me?" Jack asked.

"You think you can manipulate us, bribe us, fool us? You think you  
can play for a freaking God with you magical flashing tricks, with  
your Roswell puppets, so that you can steal our Xander away from his  
friends and family? What arrogant selfish bastard do you think you  
are?"

No immediate response came from Jack or anybody else as Monica waited  
for her answer. Instead Faith, Dawn and a brown eyed girl took their  
places at Monica's side, with their attitude evident as they had  
their arms folded and waited for his answer. Jack remembered the  
brown-eyed girl as the last member of Xander's team. She had been  
added to his team on Willow's recommendation.

"I think the lady is waiting," Faith demanded.

Knowing that he had been wrong made it hard to defend himself. Jack's  
stubborn shortsighted view had brought him into trouble before, but  
this time he had blown any chance for a compromise. And he knew it.  
He could explain them that aliens were real, that the galaxy indeed  
was at war and the safety of it depended on him and that he really  
needed Xander. But, he also knew that all that mattered to them as  
much as computer science mattered to him. Willow, Daniel and Mr.  
Giles followed.

While searching for the right words or preparing to crawl through  
dust, Jack wasn't sure yet, a single girlish voice filled the  
awkwardly quiet room. "Are you really an alien?" Jenny asked as she  
had moved over to Thor and studied him with wide eyes.

"I am from the Asgard race, O'Brien."

"Whoa!" she exclaimed. "Can I touch you?"

Jack looked at the General. How did Thor know her name? "The Asgard  
race has agreed to send a representative on the mission as an  
advisor."

Hammond had informed all responsible parties before he had informed  
him. "Ah."

"Jenny!" The young Slayer jerked her head to Monica's aggravated  
voice. Jack couldn't help but to grin for Monica's impatience -  
despite the situation. "That creepy alien is here to take Xander away  
from us."

"Really? We can come too, can't we?" she asked Thor excitedly.

"No," Monica drawled. "We can not."

"But that nice man said that we could," she whispered as she pointed  
at Jack.

"He's not a nice man. He's an asshole. We're here to bring back one  
of our own." The young Slayer pointed at him as she spoke the next  
words. "Something that that man would never understand." Ouch! That  
really hurt. And touché … he deserved it.

"Whoa!" Xander suddenly spoke. In all the mess Jack forgot about the  
young man in question. "Monica, you're crossing a line you shouldn't  
cross."

"Yeah? You would think so, wouldn't you? I can't believe you would  
leave us for that man, Xander!"

The man's lone eye clashed with the girl's stare. He had seen through  
Xander's own eyes how Xander had been able to stare the shit out of  
evil before, but to see it for himself was quite the experience.  
Monica backed off. The one eyed man's gaze took in everybody who was  
standing at Monica's side. "I am the reason why you can't cross that  
line."

Jack noticed how the man challenged Monica to respond, but she chose  
to remain silent. Smart kid. "Three years ago, Jack was held captured  
by an alien evil overlord in an impenetrable fortress. He was  
tortured and brought back to life more times anyone of us can  
imagine. All he had to do was to give up the name of a girlfriend he  
never had met. A girlfriend he only knew about for a few hours. He  
didn't give up because Jack wouldn't give up on anyone. Just like  
this base didn't give up on him."

Jack saw the man's single eye roaming the room as passionately as he  
had spoken. For a moment it seemed that the young man was recalling  
events. Jack wondered what. Xander took a breath and continued with a  
soft tone. "Foreight years I have shared a lot of his memories, his  
fantasies . . . his nightmares." The last word was almost a whisper,  
though clear enough for everybody to hear it. God, Jack realized, how  
much had Xander seen, felt from that day? "For years this man has  
been responsible for the safety of the entire galaxy. Now this man  
needs me, needs us. We can't turn our back on him, no matter how much  
we hate it. We can't turn our back on people who boldly risk their  
lives in a strange galaxy so that we are safe. No matter how  
dangerous it is for us. We don't have a choice."

Nice speech. Bit corny, but okay. Everyone was silenced by the kid's  
words, even Daniel. Though he really had to swallow. . . Jack forced  
himself to speak as he pursed his lips. "Thanks."

Some force seemed to squeeze out all the air as Jenny had wrapped her  
tiny arms around his waist in a bone crushing hug. "I am so sorry,"  
she whimpered.

He stroked the girl's hair. "Hey, it's not your mistake. It's mine. I  
am the one who's sorry."

He looked at Xander's little team in front of him and raised an  
eyebrow. "So, ready to go?"


End file.
